Washington, November 13 –. November is National Hospice & Palliative Care Month, and Hospice Foundation of America is raising awareness and dispelling common misunderstandings with a social media campaign #HFAHospiceFacts, which provides a fact about hospice care, palliative care and bereavement each day of the month through its Twitter and Facebook accounts.

HFA’s campaign has been off to a great start in early November, receiving recognition for efforts to help spread awareness and understanding of end-of-life care.

“Thanks for helping people understand the value of hospice care!” said the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization via Facebook. 

#HFAHospiceFacts is garnering tremendous feedback from followers on both Facebook and Twitter, being shared and commented on daily.

“It's essential that we respect the unique grief experience of each person.” said Kathie Supiano, PhD, LCSW, FT, Associate Professor, College Of Nursing at University Of Utah, in response to Fact 10 via Twitter.
HFA also provides valuable information about hospice and bereavement through the “Hospice” and “Grief” tabs on its website. These tabs include free videos and information on advance care planning, caregiving, palliative care, grief support groups, how to access, choose, pay and prepare for hospice care, and much more. Through these tabs, website visitors can also access HFA’s hospice knowledge quiz, created by Dr. John Cagle, and “Choosing a Hospice: 16 Questions to Ask” by Naomi Naierman and Masha Nelson.

Hospice offers medical care toward improving quality of life for someone whose illness, disease or condition is unlikely to be cured, as well as emotional and spiritual support for the patient and family. In addition, most hospices provide at least a year of bereavement support to families following the death of a loved one. Palliative care, which manages pain and other symptoms, is provided as part of hospice care but also can be provided to patients who are receiving curative treatment for their illness.

There are a lot of people who fail to take advantage of hospice or palliative care because they do not know enough about them or because their physician fails discuss these valuable care options. National Hospice & Palliative Care Month gives hospices, hospitals, and organizations like HFA the opportunity to help those who need a better understanding about the two types of care.

To learn more about hospice, palliative care, and HFA be sure to visit the HFA website at https://hospicefoundation.org/, call (202) 457-5811, or email  info@hospicefoundation.org.
 
The mission of Hospice Foundation of America is to provide leadership in the development and application of hospice and its philosophy of care with the goal of enhancing the U.S. health care system and the role of hospice within it.